Interested in public policy, the DC budget, research and information to inform and improve the caliber of public policy discussions or advocacy? This is the place for you: information and intelligence that improves advocacy is the stock in trade of this blog.

Monday, June 30, 2014

It may be a big month for vacations, but the list of free webinars curated by Wild Apricot isn't shabby. The 21 Free Non-profit Webinars for July 2014 post includes Wild Apricot events, you'll find trainings related to volunteers, fundraising, days of service, social media.

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Great news for readers with ereaders: Simon & Schuster is making its books available for public library lending nationwide, free for one year. There will be no cap on the number of times a particular eBook is checked out. According to the (S&S release PDF):

All of Simon & Schuster's frontlist and backlist titles that are available as ebooks are eligible for the program, with new titles being made available simultaneous with their publication.

Simon & Schuster has more than 10,000 ebooks in its backlist although it's not clear which will be eligible for the library lending program.

The S&S library lending announcement also included news of an "innovative business model":

In order to help support libraries, and for the convenience of patrons who might not want to wait until a popular new title is available, Simon & Schuster's ebook program includes a 'Buy It Now' capability, which gives the patron the option to purchase a copy of Simon & Schuster eBooks through a library's online portal, with a portion of the proceeds from each sale going to the library.

In the 1990s, Dave produced the Chicken Fat Kids workout video (also below). The first segment is from the 1960s when President Kennedy introduced the program; you'll see children and young adults doing pushups, stretching, and other activities mentioned in the song.

Watch and Listen to the video below for the shorter version of the song. Interesting facts about the song and the president's effort pop up throughout the video.

And lest you think this song is no longer used, think again. In 2012, the University of Evansville cheer squad and university president Dr. Thomas A. Kazee appeared in a video to promote Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winneke's initiative to have Evansville stay fit. Watch the Evansville vid here.

Interested in collective impact? Learn with the best at the free Tamarack tele-learning event Why Collective Impact and Why Now?Friday, August 8 from 11:00 am - Noon (Eastern). Speakers Melody Barnes and Paul Born will engage participants in an interactive session during which everyone will explore the idea and practice of Collective Impact and why it's crucial that leaders embrace this framework.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

The free Engagement Tech for All webinar takes place June 26 from 3:30 - 5:00 pm. Participants will learn about some of the latest innovations in the field of civic technology and the potential for these technologies to advance transformational change in communities, particularly around the lives of low-income people.

Background information, including Engagement Tech for All report, is online at Engagement Tech for All. The report, Engagement Tech for All: Best Practices in the Use of Technology in Engagement Underrepresented Communities in Planning (PDF) considers the best ways to reach low-income and other technologically underrepresented communities regarding using technology in civic engagement.

I'm not a teacher and I have limited knowledge of what makes an effective teacher/classroom/school. But the Twitter chat about the book Why Students Don't Like School, the Storifed version of the chat below, got me thinking about how to engage adults in learning and relearning. I am particularly interested in Bill Ivey's review of the book.

A special shout-out to Scott MacClintic (@Smacclintic), teacher at Loomis Chafee and a member of the Class of 1982 along with yours truly. I follow Scott on Twitter and learn a lot from him.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

It should go without saying that fire hydrants exist so fire fighters can fight fires. Not so, at least according to the recent release, Please leave fire hydrants alone from DC Water and FEMS. Advice from the release:

Residents and visitors in the District can keep cool by staying in shade or air conditioning and drinking plenty of water. When the temperature or heat index reaches 95, residents are encouraged to take extra precautions against the heat. If they do not live in an air-conditioned building, they may take refuge at a District swimming pool, cooling center, recreation facility, senior center or other air-conditioned building. More information, and locations, can be found at dc.gov or by calling 311.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson will brief the media about the June 24 legislative meeting on June 23 at 10:00 am in Room 412 at JAWB. If you can't make it to the Wilson Building you can watch on the DC Council website.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Mayor Gray will make his regular monthly appearance on NewsTalk Thursday, June 19 at 10:00 am. Tune in to the show streaming here: http://news8.net/. If you have questions or comments, call (703) 387-1020 or email the show.

With the extreme heat (95 degrees temp or feel) come special plans to keep residents, visitors, and workers cool and safe. The details are in 2014 HEAT
EMERGENCY PLAN (PDF).

The best way to beat the heat is to stay inside an air conditioned building. If you have to leave, check out these options to cool down:

The Department of Parks and Recreation has opened spray parks a week early. These sites, located in all but Ward 2, are open from Noon 10:00 am - 7:00 pm. (UPDATED: 6/17/14, 9:15p)

The four cooling centers are:

One Judiciary Square, 441 Fourth St NW

Frank D. Reeves Center (Lobby), 2000 14th St NW

King Office Building (Lobby), 3720 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave SE

Virginia Williams Family Resource Center, 33 N St NE

United Planning Organization (UPO) vans will be on the lookout for people suffering from heat-related stress and provide transport to a Cooling Center. If you need to call for transport, call DC Shelter Hotline at (800) 535-7252.

The Department of Human Services opens cooling centers for homeless residents; the list of the sites is on pages 1 and 2 of the plan.

DC Housing Authority open buildings as cooling centers for seniors who live in a non-air conditioned buildings. The locations are listed on page 2 of the plan.

Finally, DC government posts an alert on the DC government home page during heat emergencies. The alert links people to resources.

The Historical Society of the District of Columbia Circuit's June 19 panel presentation is "Sixty Years After Bolling v. Sharpe: Public Education and the D.C. Federal Courts." Panelists include DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson and DC Circuit Court Judge David Tatel. A reception will follow.

Monday, June 16, 2014

young researcher on the rise. She investigates the role of digital technologies in the academic, social, and moral lives of modern youth and works with educators, parents, business leaders, and policymakers throughout the U.S. to put her research into practice.

The University of Washington's iSchool interviewed Davis to learn more about those who will be learning in the future. Katie Davis: Who is the Learner of Tomorrow? examines how Davis believes learning is changed by technology and whether technology can promote learning across all ages.

The interview starts with a question about Davis' book The App Generation: How Today's Youth Navigate Identity, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World (for sale at Politics & Prose). Davis is asked about what defines learners of tomorrow; the response is that "the app" is a metaphor for the various themes from the underlying research. Want to learn more about the book? A video featuring both authors is below and reviews are all over the internet.

The PIL interview asks Davis about other technology-related research and presentations and is worth a read if you are a teacher or interested in the power and implications of technology.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Several weeks ago, health practitioners, researchers, and journalists came together at Health for Tomorrow. I'm not a health policy person, but a couple sessions stood out.

The first was that with Toby Cosgrove, president and CEO of Cleveland Clinic. Cosgrove described the steps Cleveland Clinic took internally and in the community to improve health outcomes and change behavior to improve outcomes. One takeaway was from moderator Elisabeth Rosenthal of The New York Times: In reaction to an intervention described by Cosgrove (engage more people in their own health care and reducing incidence of diseases such as diabetes and high cholesterol, Rosenthal said she had heard from every day people that they wanted to be compliant, they wanted to eat better and healthier food. The problem was they couldn't afford it.

The second stand out was the session The Future of Individualized Medicine with Eric J. Topol of Scripps Translational Science Institute, Scripps Health, and The Scripps Research Institute. What resonated with me was the affordability of personalized medicine and how quickly the world of medicine and science is changing, further challenging the widespread adoption of personalized medicine.

The videos of Cosgrove and Topol are below. To view the other videos, click here.

The summit will highlight the New Heights' efforts to support expectant and parenting students and celebrating the achievements of New Heights students, including those who are graduating or have graduated.
Workshops include Growing, Learning, Playing: Your Child's Development, Healthy Cooking, Family Literacy, and Parenting in Action.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Inspired Teaching Fellows will present the findings of their exploration of complex topics positively affecting their classrooms Thursday, June 12 from 5:00 - 6:30 pm at Inspired Teaching Demonstration School (1328 Florida Ave NW). The issues considered include

Can a teacher use kids discussions about fashion to spur student learning?

What can teachers do to create a classroom culture that encourages empathy? Can art bolster literacy?

Teachers will engage attendees and explain their findings using posters and visuals at the open-to-the-public event.

Sunday, June 8, 2014

DC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is seeking nominations for the 2014 Conversation Changers Award. The award is given to those who are making a positive difference in the lives of teens and who demonstrates extraordinary effort, innovation and excellence in activities that prevent teen pregnancy. Learn more about making a nomination on the Campaign's website. The nomination deadline is June 28, 2014.

DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson will guest on NewsTalk Thursday, June 5 during the 10:00 am hour. Mendelson will be asked about the court ruling requiring the District to allow voters to elect the Attorney General, street car funding, the soccer stadium proposal, and more. Tune in to the show streaming here: http://news8.net/.

If you have questions or comments, call (703) 387-1020 or email the show.

Help make our corner of the world better. In partnership with Calvary Baptist Church, this new initiative advocates for justice and aims to serve the underserved in the surrounding Chinatown and Penn Quarter communities.

Clergy from Calvary Baptist, Trinity Lutheran Church, and Rabbi Scott facilitate a discussion on the issues that matter most to you as a Washingtonian, including gentrification, poverty, rising housing costs, homelessness, or other problems you wish to see addressed. The conversation aims to help you create a connection with neighbors you never knew by working to remedy these pressing issues.

The DC Council's Twentieth Legislative meeting takes place June 3 at 10:00 am in the Council Chamber. The agenda (PDF) contains an extensive list of items. More information including the link to watch online.

The Buffer piece also provides links to online content calendar apps, examples of calendars from Forbes and others, and templates. Be sure to read the comments since there are links and other useful nuggets.